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Downing Street has rebuked Boris Johnson and said he has “no new ideas” while the country needs “leadership and a serious plan”.

Mrs May’s official spokesman dismissed Mr Johnson’s column, in which the former Foreign Secretary said her Chequers deal will lead to “victory” for the European Union while the UK is left “lying flat on the canvas”.

Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Johnson said the UK has “gone into battle with the white flag fluttering over our leading tank”.

In his article Mr Johnson compares the Brexit negotiations to a staged fight: “Out of their corners come Dominic Raab and Michel Barnier, shrugging their shoulders and beating their chests – and I just hope you aren’t one of those...